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'What's on a Vase? When French Feminism Meets Chinese Art'

25 February 2026
Maison Française d'Oxford

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Manhua Li (Royal Holloway College, University of London)
Discussants: Nicholas Bunnin (China Centre, University of Oxford), Frances Wood (Chinese Collections, British Library), and Michelle Castelletti (Oxford Festival of the Arts)
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Join Dr Manhua Li as she uncovers the hidden stories of over a hundred ceramic objects quietly "sleeping" in the Ashmolean Museum's collections. These non-displayed treasures hold secret narratives of women's imagery, waiting to be brought to light. Drawing on French feminist philosophy, the yinyang icons, and Ming-dynasty ceramics, Dr Li shows how material culture can spark fresh and imaginative ways of thinking about gendered symbols, creative practices, and intercultural history of ideas.